Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska to Age-Restrict Access to Porn in July

Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska to Age-Restrict Access to Porn in July

BOISE, Idaho — Five U.S. states — Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, and Nebraska — will begin requiring age verification to access adult sites when the states’ copycat laws promoted by religious conservatives go into effect starting in July.

The mandates go into effect Monday in Idaho, Indiana, and Kansas. Kentucky’s law goes into effect on July 14 and Nebraska’s on July 18.

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) explained through a statement that the new laws “authorize private lawsuits against companies that do not force users to undergo identity verification to access adult websites. Indiana and Kansas also authorize their state attorneys general to impose civil penalties, including fines.”

All five laws are based on model legislation for which several conservative pro-censorship groups have taken credit. However, as in other states that passed their own versions, “the verification mechanisms authorized by these laws are not uniform,” FSC noted.

The FSC website provides a breakdown of the different “reasonable age verification methods” authorized by each law.

Age Verification a Political Tool in an Election Year

As XBIZ reported, religious conservative groups are using age verification battles to discipline dissenting Republicans.

Earlier this month, religious conservative leaders and publications celebrated the defeat of sitting Republican state Senator Michael Walsh in a primary election, boasting of the success of their efforts to target him exclusively because he voted against the anti-porn age verification bill they supported.

In online comments, Walsh’s religious conservative detractors described their campaign against him using violent terms like “scalping” and images like a bullseye targeting their fellow party member for elimination.

Terry Schilling, leader of the well-funded, pro-censorship conservative lobby American Principles Project (APP), posted on his X account, “First scalp collected on age verification,” followed by an anti-Walsh ad which his group produced.

The ad shows a map of the U.S. with the 17 states that have passed age verification laws painted Republican red, claiming those laws “protect kids from online pornography.”

Although the laws are almost universally proposed by religious conservative Republicans, Democrats in most legislatures have overwhelmingly supported them.

A major outlier among Democrats was Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, who vetoed the state’s age verification bill in March, stating that legislation to protect the online safety of minors should be a bipartisan effort that does not conflict with the First Amendment.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Show More